42 CONIFEROUS TREES 



the branches are strictly fastigiate. The leaves 

 on the horizontal branches are distichously ar- 

 ranged, or in two opposite rows, while those on 

 other parts of the tree are irregularly scattered 

 or nearly spiral by their closeness along the 

 shoots. As this Cephalotaxus is little known, the 

 following description of the distinguishing char- 

 acteristics may be useful : In habit and foliage 

 it nearly approaches the Irish Yew, but the 

 branches are rarely so erect and adpressed, nor 

 the leaves of such a deep green as in those of that 

 tree, while it rarely rises to more than 8 feet in 

 height. The leaves are bluntly falcate, or more 

 usually sabre-shaped, less than 2 inches long, by 

 one-eighth inch broad, thick and fleshy, and for 

 the greater part furnished with short footstalks. 

 Above they are of a deep glossy green, with a dis- 

 tinctly raised narrow midrib, while beneath two 

 rather indistinct silvery bands run along their full 

 length. Both branches and branchlets have a 

 peculiar channelled or ridged and furrowed appear- 

 ance, caused by the long decurrent base of the 

 leaves ; these, in most instances, reach one-half an 

 inch in length, and are persistent after the removal 

 of the foliage. For a full account of this interest- 

 ing shrub, see article by the present writer in The 

 Garden, vol. xxx., 1886. 



I was agreeably surprised a short time ago to 

 find no fewer than eight specimens of this un- 

 common shrub in an old Hertfordshire garden. 

 They had in all cases attained to full dimensions, 

 were in robust health, and showed the peculiar 

 character for which this conifer is remarkable — 

 the lower tiers of branches horizontally arranged 



